


Understanding

by Anyia



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-05
Updated: 2013-05-05
Packaged: 2017-12-10 11:15:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/785435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anyia/pseuds/Anyia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fenris steps in to complete a task that Hawke cannot bring herself to finish. An alternate take on what happens after the first part of "The Last Straw". Extremely short - more of a drabble than a full fic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Understanding

“He wants to die. Kill him and be done with it.”

The words came out harsher than Fenris intended, but he didn’t care. The bastard mage was truly a hypocrite to the very end. Fenris was glad Anders would likely be killed, but he still wanted to bash the mage’s head against a rock for believing his death would make him a martyr.

Anders and Hawke had finished talking, and there was a long pause following the sound of her blade sliding out of its sheath.

“ _I love her,_ ” Anders had snapped at Fenris once. “ _You have no idea what that means._ ”

_If your idea of love involves complete and utter betrayal with a dash of massacre on the side,_ thought Fenris, _Then I don’t care to understand what it means._ The elf’s hatred for Anders came boiling to the surface again, and he shot an infuriated glance at the mage’s back.

Then he noticed Hawke’s head was bowed, and the hand that held her dagger had not left her side. She was hesitating – a very unusual thing for her, especially since she specialized in stabbing people in the back on the battlefield.

“What is she _doing_?” Fenris heard Sebastian snarl under his breath.

Aveline looked over at the prince, fixing him with a cold, hard stare. “Do you know what it’s like to have to sink your blade into the heart of someone you love?”

“But that _bastard_ just--”

Before Sebastian could even finish what he was saying, Fenris pushed past him and strode toward Hawke. She had raised her arm now, poised to strike, but her hand was shaking. By the way her shoulders were heaving, it was easy for Fenris to tell she was choking down her sobs.

The elf reached for her, gently placing his hand on hers to steady it. She turned toward him, wildly, as though she hadn’t even noticed his approach. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Her bright green eyes were brimming with unshed tears.

Fenris understood.

He guided her hand back down and moved her aside gently. The mage was still sitting with his back to them, and he hadn’t even bothered to look at Hawke that whole time.

Fenris took in a deep breath, and let the power of the lyrium in his skin flow into the rest of his being. Anders gave a start when he realized that something was going on, but Fenris didn’t give him time to bolt or turn around.

_Do not bare your heart to me, mage, unless you would have me rip it out._

**Author's Note:**

> This very short fic was composed for my rogue Fem!Hawke, who turned to Anders after Fenris left her, thinking the mage would heal her broken heart… but alas, my poor girl is now alone with her heart still shattered in a thousand pieces.
> 
> I wanted to give her an alternate ending where Anders still gets punished as he deserves without her having to kill him herself, and where Fenris shows her that he still cares for her after all those years.


End file.
